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Easy to grow house plants

GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,059
in Plants
I have always struggled with houseplants in the past. At the moment I just have two, a Pilea and a Sansevieria. Both are doing well. The front of my house faces south and I have a deep window sill I could use but is it too hot? The back sills face north and I have the added problem of radiators. Both of my plants are actually in the room not on the sills. Is there something else I could try that doesn't get too big? 
RETIRED GARDENER, SOUTH NOTTS.
Building a garden is very personal. It's not quite the same as installing a boiler.
James Alexander Sinclair 
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  • msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 480
    Succulents and cacti would love dry, hot places with lots of direct sunlight.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,059
    @msqingxiao Thank you I want to increase my indoor houseplant collection. Do you know if there are any cacti that are very popular at the moment please? I guess there are trends with house plants as well as outdoor plants.
    RETIRED GARDENER, SOUTH NOTTS.
    Building a garden is very personal. It's not quite the same as installing a boiler.
    James Alexander Sinclair 
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 2,794
    @GardenerSuze, I like the geometry of the barrel cactus types - Ferocactus pilosus and Echinocactus grusonii.  They are both mentioned in this Gardeners' World article: 15 Cactus Plants to Grow - BBC Gardeners World Magazine.

    Another houseplant worth considering is the ZZ plant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia for ease of maintenance and good looks.  It prefers indirect light to full shade and is evidently tolerant of neglect!  
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,059
    @Plantminded Thank you I do know what the ZZ plant look like, something that will tolerate neglect is a good idea.  Hopefully it will be  more likely to survive. I remember growing cacti as a child will take a look on next visit to GC.
    RETIRED GARDENER, SOUTH NOTTS.
    Building a garden is very personal. It's not quite the same as installing a boiler.
    James Alexander Sinclair 
  • msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 480
    GardenerSuze said:
    @msqingxiao Thank you I want to increase my indoor houseplant collection. Do you know if there are any cacti that are very popular at the moment please? I guess there are trends with house plants as well as outdoor plants.
    Me personally is not a fan of cacti due to its prickly nature  :/

    Succculents such as Echeverias come in a wide range of shapes and forms which I do like a lot.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,059
    @msqingxiao Thank you for your thoughts. I did try repotting a cactus many years ago for my daughter not easy. Will also out Succulents and Echeverias on my list.
    RETIRED GARDENER, SOUTH NOTTS.
    Building a garden is very personal. It's not quite the same as installing a boiler.
    James Alexander Sinclair 
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,050
    If you are already doing well with sansevieria then there are so many others in the family that you can look at. I have a few different ones that happily live on my north facing windowsill, above a radiator, and have done for years. 
    On my south facing windowsill above a radiator I have some small agave I'm growing on, a few euphorbia and some aloes. All do well if you keep an eye on watering.
  • the tidy gardenerthe tidy gardener Posts: 595
    Chinese money plant!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,059
    I did go to the GC today and checked out a ZZ plant, have been promised one for my birthday. They had some mini money plants which I have added to my list. Thank you @thetidygardener. @the victorian I had no idea that there are different Sanseverias will look into this too. The cacti mentioned by @Plantminded couldn't find guess these but will keep looking they are in my notebook. This is the first time I have really got into house plants and I am discovering lots of things I had no idea existed.
    Thankyou to everyone.
    GW is all about house plants in two weeks which should be interesting.
    RETIRED GARDENER, SOUTH NOTTS.
    Building a garden is very personal. It's not quite the same as installing a boiler.
    James Alexander Sinclair 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,059
    @thevictorian Just been looking on line at the different sansevieria's just wondered if you could give me a few names of the ones that are easy to grow. Thank you
    RETIRED GARDENER, SOUTH NOTTS.
    Building a garden is very personal. It's not quite the same as installing a boiler.
    James Alexander Sinclair 
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